Dwayne The Rock Johnson spoke about the “honor” of working with Oleksandr UsykWhile the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion joins the cast of The crushing machine.
The biopic, scheduled for release in late 2024, will tell the story of mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr – who was nicknamed “The Smashing Machine” and will be played by Johnson.
Usyk, who became undisputed heavyweight champion in Mayjoined the film’s cast as former MMA fighter Igor Vovchanchyn.
Vovchanchyn, who Kerr fought in 1999 and 2000, is Ukrainian as is Usyk, who secured undisputed heavyweight status by defeating Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. Usyk, 37, once reigned as the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
“Don’t break my jaw, champ,” Johnson joked on Instagram on Monday (June 3). “It is an honor to have the newly crowned Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion @usykaa join our cast of ‘The Smashing Machine’.
“Usyk will play the role of Igor Vovchanchyn – the real-life Ukrainian MMA legend who had legendary fights during the extreme, no-holds-barred era of mixed martial arts and a historic fight against the Smashing Machine himself, Mark Kerr.
“I have enormous respect for Oleksandr Usyk and [it] it will be an honor to share the ring with him – as it taps on my chin next week. I look forward to working with you, my brother.
American Kerr, 55, won two UFC heavyweight championship tournaments, triumphing in July and October 1997.
He retired from fighting in 2009, having lost 12 of his last 15 fights – including his rematch with Vovchanchyn, who overcame Kerr after the pair’s initial No Contest.
Usyk is set for a rematch with Fury in December.
